Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Symptoms

If you have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you will usually have symptoms of depression during the winter when there is less daylight (October through April). Symptoms of SAD include:¹

• Difficulty concentrating.
• Low energy and fatigue.
• Reduced interest in daily activities, especially social activities.
• Moodiness (depressed, sad, or unusually quiet).
• Increased appetite.
• Cravings for complex carbohydrates (such as pasta and bread).
• Weight gain.
• Increased sleep.
• Loss of interest in sex.
• Irritability.

People with SAD may either have symptoms of major depression or minor depression. Those with minor depression are considered to have subsyndromal SAD.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS Jeannette Curtis	Last Updated: August 8, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Alfred Lewy, MD, PhD - Psychiatry
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